Truth Treasures – November 2026 – The Light for My Path

How is it November already?

Welcome to Truth Treasures,, a monthly post where I feature goodness from around the web which I hope will be helpful to you, as well as some personal tidbits, and other treasures. I pray you will be blessed and God will be glorified. Feel free to pass it along!

Reflections: What I learned from Mark Twain

I recently grabbed a student literature textbook shelved in our school library. It’s full of a variety of poems, short stories and essays of Western literature, and I thought it would be a nice change to inspire my {lack of} reading. One of these stories, A Pilot’s Need, is an excerpt from Mark Twain’s (Samuel Clemens) “Life on the Mississippi”. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the lesson in the narrative and its accurate spiritual application (though not intended as such).

Samuel was training to be a steamboat pilot. His chief pilot had taught him about the three necessary skills needed for success: a perfectly accurate knowledge and memory of the river and its shore—to know it so well even in the pitchest of dark; good and quick judgment; and ‘cool, calm courage that no peril can shake’.

Knowing that Samuel was in need of greater courage, and that courage can only be strengthened in testing, Samuel’s chief pilot, Mr. Bixby, arranged such a trial with the help of his crew. Before going below deck for a while, Bixby asked the young Samuel how much water was in the stretch of river they were approaching which he would have to steer the boat through in Bixby’s absence. Samuel knew the depth was so deep it was known as bottomless. To his confident response, Bixby simply replied, “You think so, do you?” and left.

Samuel noticed the tone of that question, and immediately his confidence was shaken. A seed of doubt flung upon Samuel’s mind by his respected superior caused Samuel’s confidence in his knowledge of the river to retreat.

Then the crew joined in on the trick, and Samuel’s imagination ran wild seeing things that weren’t even there, including shoals that must be avoided. He responded in fear and utter panic turning the boat this way and that. He was overcome with fear, and lost all courage and judgment. Statements made by the crew became truth even as he pondered the preposterous: “Deep four (24ft. depth) in a bottomless crossing! The terror of it took my breath away.”

Samuel learned a lesson that night as Bixby returned calmly to the helm. Never let anyone shake your confidence in what you know to be true.

In pondering this for myself I see how easily I can let someone shake my confidence in what I know to be true. How often I let a seed of doubt take root upon my thoughts, overtake my imagination and fan the flames of fear and panic. All judgment and courage is removed, including remembrance of the truth, and the author of that truth, which and whom I know that I know.

Isn’t this the ancient trick of the enemy of our soul, believer? Wasn’t it a seed of doubt the serpent first cast upon Eve’s thinking in the Garden of God? His tactics haven’t changed.

How often I cry out like the distraught father, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) As the mercy of Christ was extended to that father, so it is extended to us in our times of unbelief. Scripture is full of compassionate imperatives urging us toward the path of faith and courage—not because of what’s in us, but because of who is with us. God knows our weakness, and is merciful because of Christ and his work on our behalf .

Thank you, Lord.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Reading Nook:

Of Places (Literature), Abeka
Never Cry Wolf, Farley Mowat (on my Kindle)
A Battle for the Mind: The Christian and Education, R.C. Sproul

Around the Web:

Harvest in Fearful Times, Melissa Edgington
Valor Without Renown, Kristin Couch. “A time may come soon, said he, when none will return. Then there will be need of valor without renown, for none shall remember the deeds that are done in the last defense of your homes. Yet the deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised. – Aragorn. Ah yes, I’ve been thinking a lot about this too. Are my pictures of any value if no one sees them but me? My words, if no one read them? I’m learning how much value there is in simply creating. I’ve also felt the deadness—mental and spiritual—that has settled in because of social media, which I cut off a year ago, then foolishly let back in. I have since deleted my account.
Nothing Gold Can Stay?, Heidi Kellog. I can relate to Heidi’s message these days and appreciate the wisdom she shares. “Say not, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” (ECC. 7:10)
The Certainty of Our Significance, Timarie Friesen
True Rest in Ministry, HeartCry Missionary Society (video). “The Lord will do the work. The Lord will raise his church. The Lord will save his people. The Lord will bring the growth that the church needs. And the only thing we needed to be was faithful.”

In Case You Missed It: Posts from November’s past

Life Through My {Camera} Lens